Prince Charles is renovating the Queen Mother's former home into luxury eco-accomodation

By Rachael Martin| 3 months ago

Prince Charles is said to be converting the old stables and granary of his grandmother’s former residence, Castle of Mey in Scotland, into eco-luxury guest rooms.

It turns out Prince Charles is a lover of interior design, as he embarks on renovating The Queen Mother's former home into luxury eco-accommodation.

Due to open in April 2019, the accommodation is apparently being built with the Prince’s passion for sustainability in mind. Using local materials and craftsmen, the Prince of Wales will transform an unused part of his grandmother’s beloved retreat into 10 luxury guest rooms that will welcome the public as guests next year.

The Castle of Mey, Scotland. (Getty)

The Castle of Mey is located in Caithness, on the north coast of Scotland, and belonged to Prince Charles’ grandmother, The Queen Mother, from 1952 until 1996.

In season two of Netflix’s award-winning drama The Crown, we see the moment that the grieving Queen Mother first sees what was then known as Barrogill Castle while staying with friends up in Scotland, before she decides to buy the crumbling castling and restore it.

Victoria Hamilton as the Queen Mother in 'The Crown'. (Netflix)

The Queen Mother spent two years restoring the castle between 1953 and 1955, before using it as an escape from London every August and October. Her Majesty also opened the restored gardens in aid of Scotland's Gardens Scheme on three days each year, allowing the public to visit the royal property.

After The Queen Mother’s death, her eldest grandchild Prince Charles helped take care of the castle and buildings, visiting the property every August and continuing to open the gardens to the public.

These days, visitors to Castle Mey can take a tour of the Castle, wander around the Walled Gardens or even use the property as a wedding venue. Prince Charles’ decision to add guest accommodation to the site will be an additional draw for visitors to the area.

The Prince is said to be overseeing every aspect of the project, including personally selecting fabrics and furnishings for the rooms.

'We get his final decision on everything.' Prince Charles is taking a leading role in the renovation. (Getty)

"His Royal Highness is trying to keep the castle going in his grandmother’s memory, drive the place forward and giving it a great future. It was nearly a ruin before the Queen Mother saved it and I think she would have been so keen to see this project," Kenneth Dunsmuir, who is executive director of the Prince’s Foundation, said.

"At the moment we are planning the rooms, the colours, the fabrics, the lighting style and the furniture, and we get his final decision on everything. He loves the finer point of detail and that’s what he thinks really makes it special."